Why you crave Carbohydrates so hard sometimes? Are you experiencing Carbs craving late at night? Carbohydrates are the macronutrients and proved to be an important source of energy for all body cells and tissues. Along with proteins and fats, carbohydrates are one of the three main nutrients. Body breakdowns carbohydrates into glucose, which is the main source of energy to body cells tissues, and organs. That’s why the body craves carbs.
In this article, we will be talking about all you need to know about your addiction to carbs and best to eat while craving it.
But first, ask yourself, do you feel carvings for junk foods quite often, eating too much ( more than what you need), addictive to high carbs foods, etc. These are some symptoms of carbs addiction. Lest make it easy.
“Poor diet is now the leading cause of poor health in the U.S., causing more than half a million deaths per year”
Symptoms of Carbs Cravings or Addiction
Cravings are full common. If for once in days you feel craving junk food mostly, they may not indicate addiction but if you feel it quite often then it may indicate a problem of addiction behavior.
- If someone ended up eating than more he/she intended, this is a problem. Not able to control in spite you have eaten enough to full your stomach.
- After eating, feeling of regret has made a home in your conscious mind. You feel like, why you can’t stop yourself from eating too much.
- If someone has started eating by hiding himself while eating from others. People just feel embarrassed to eat according to fulfill their craving in front of other people, then you have addictive food behavior.
What is Carbs Addiction ?
Addicted nature of some carbohydrates
Refined carbs increase craving, hunger, and provide extreme pleasure while eating. High carbs meals stimulate different types of brain activity than low carbs meals. Carbs affect the area of the brain related to pleasure and reward.
In 2009, researchers at Yale developed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) to provide a list to measures addiction-like eating behaviors. They concluded that high-GI, high-fat, and processed foods were most related to addictive behaviors.
| Rank | Foods | GI |
| 1 | Pizza | 22 |
| 2 | Chocolates | 14 |
| 3 | Chips | 12 |
| 4 | Cookies | 7 |
| 5 | Ice-cream | 14 |
| 6 | French-Fries | 21 |
| 7 | Cheese-Burger | 17 |
| 8 | Soda (Not diet) | 16 |
| 9 | Cake | 24 |
| 10 | Cheese | 0 |
This list is given by YALE. These above-mentioned food items are also the most problematic foods. Except for cheese, these top 10 food items are most addictive.
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Different types of carbs
There are three main types of carbohydrates-
- Sugars. They are called simple carbohydrates. They are added to increase the sweetness. They are added to sugar candies, desserts, processed foods, and regular soda. Natural sugars present in fruits, vegetables, and milk are also simple sugar.
- Starches. They are called complex carbohydrates which are made of multiple simple sugars bonded together. Starches are broken down into sugars in the body to use them as energy. Starches include bread, cereals, and pasta. They also included certain vegetables, like potatoes, peas, and corn.
- Fibers. It is a complex carbohydrate. Carbs have fibers in them that are low digesting carbs. They take a longer time to digest and keep you full for a longer time and avoid frequent hunger and craving. Diets including fibers have other health effects also such as prevent stomach and intestinal problems and constipation, lower blood cholesterol, and blood sugar. Fruits, vegetables, nuts seeds, beans are fiber-rich.
Children and adults need at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day for good health, but most Americans get only about 15 grams a day
Common foods list which include carbohydrates
- Grains, such as bread, noodles, pasta, crackers, cereals, and rice.
- Fruits, such as apples, bananas, berries, mangoes, melons, and oranges.
- Dairy products, such as milk and yogurt.
- Legumes, including dried beans, lentils, and peas.
- Snacks foods and sweets, such as cakes, cookies, candy, and other desserts.
- Juices, regular sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks that contain sugar.
- Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, and peas.
Lists can be customized as you crave for best foods to eat that are low in carbohydrates such as meat, fish, poultry, and some types of cheese, nuts, and oils.
So, now let you ask are you addicted to the carbs? Do you know how many carbs to eat per day?
No need to walk out to buy a low carbs diet for no reason. Let’s know more about your daily carbs consumption.
Risk of Craving for High Carbs food
Refined carbs are the ones in which most of the nutrients and fibers removed. Every dietary expert would suggest you limit refined carbs in your diet. There are countries where dietary carbs are the main sources of food. It includes healthy carbs for a healthy eating routine.
Refined carbs are of two main types-
- Sugars. Refined and processed sugars such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup.
- Refined grains. No nutrition and fibers are present in this. White flour is made from refined wheat. These are also digested quickly and increase blood sugar very rapidly because they have a high glycemic index.
Refined carbs affect your health badly. They can increase the risk of obesity, heart diseases, and type 2 diabetes.
- Foods having a high glycemic index increase the overeating or energy intake can make the people obese. Refines carbs are empty calories.
A large population is overweight or obese, eating too many refines carbs are one of the main reasons because they are low in fiber content, so digested quickly, can contribute to overeating.
They give shot time fullness, for about 1 hour after eating and they increase belly-fat.
- Diets that have high refined carbs tend to be low in fiber, which is linked to increased risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes. , colon cancer, and various digestive problems.
Refined carbs also increase blood triglyceride levels; this is a risk factor of both heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
What are the good carbs food for your balanced diet plan?
Eat the Best carbs foods to end excessive cravings for optimal health
‘Eat your carbs’. This phrase you don’t listen often. But it is true, although carbs provide some best of flavors they also provide health and energy.
In 2015-16, United States Dietary Guidelines (USDA) recommends that 45-65 percent of energy should be from carbs.
There are two types of carbohydrates complex and simple carbohydrates. Complex carbs: unprocessed, fiber-rich like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. And simple carbohydrates are should be less than 10% and they are like refined sugar and processed foods.
- PIZZA: Make a thin crust pizza and loaded it with tomato sauce, pesto sauce, vegetables. This pizza is going to be very healthy and yet tasty too. So try this now.
- QUINOA: These are gluten-free seeds and powerhouse of energy tastes like a nutty grain. Higher in proteins and nutrients means no tension of cholesterol, saturated fat, and cancer-causing compounds found in animal proteins.
- LENTILS: A good source of protein-rich and cholesterol-lowering fiber which can help the people having diabetes as fibers prevent a rapid increase in blood sugar after meals rapidly. Lentils also contain iron, magnesium, and foliate.
- DATES. The most important minerals for body present in dates like calcium, iron, and potassium which make more red blood cells, make bone stronger and a healthy gut. Dates can make you rid of everything from night blindness to anemia and constipation to allergies.
- OATS: These play a vital role in improving our cravings of fullness. It is very good for our digestive, cardiovascular, and overall metabolic health. They contain a specific type of fiber called beta-glucan which lowers blood cholesterol level.
- WHOLE WHEAT portions of pasta: Spaghetti, linguine, farfalle. Give the pasta a small portion with vegetables in it.
- BLACK BEANS: These are classified as legumes. They are easy to make and full of protein, fiber, and iron. Containing minerals that maintain bone structure and strength and have selenium also which play a role in enzyme function and detoxify cancer-causing compounds.
- APPLES: Apples contain pectin, potassium, and vitamin C which keeps you full for a longer time. They are also rich in natural sugars which digest more slowly than processed foods.
- CHICKPEAS: These contain vitamin K, phosphate, and calcium. They help in bone-building materials.
- PEAS: These offer a large dose of potassium and vitamin C, magnesium, and fiber. Help in cleansing the digestive tract.
- .BANANAS: These are versatile as well as portable. Vitamins and minerals in Bananas help in relieving inflammation, nausea, stomach ulcers, depression, and anxiety too.
- SWEET POTATOES: These are sources of vitamin c, magnesium, vitamin B-6, and fiber. They have a low GI and so don’t increase blood sugar levels rapidly.
Ways to end Carbs Craving
- Animal and plant are sources of protein including meat, eggs, tofu, and beans are known to stay you full longer. So plan your diet with the inclusion of these also.
- Add fruit as a sweet item of food in your meals. This also helps you avoiding craving refined sugary food items.
- Keep yourself hydrated because dehydration may have some high carbs. So staying hydrated avoid both.
- Make yourself active. strength of your exercise will release endorphins and make you feel good and also decrease your craving.
- Make yourself with the food items that make you addicted, pay close attention to it, and don’t be around that food item.
You need to prioritize the problem of carbs craving . It may lead to various health issues. Add 12 good carbs food in your monthly diet chart and enjoy your daily calories.
